Ah, the release of Astellia approaches, and it makes me just the slightest bit sad. Here was a game that had clear dates and windows for its launch and test phases, kept up a good stream of communication, and generally handled its beta testing professionally. That matters to those of us who deal with this as a job, you know. But it’s launching on September 27th, albeit with a quick preview of the gender-unlocked classes ahead of that launch date.
Shall we continue the dance of the beta? Yes, probably.
- Another Ashes of Creation: Apocalypse test took place for 12 hours via Steam. That’s a thing that happened. The reception was pretty negative and the confusion about why this exists persists. That was great.
- People are flocking to the World of Warcraft: Classic PvP servers. Blizzard is asking players to please not do that and opening more servers to compensate. It may be indicative of something that these are the servers getting so desperately crowded.
- Caravan Stories still isn’t in open beta. There are new pictures and stuff, but despair and fear have set in. Will this actually happen? If you want it to happen, we wouldn’t blame you for being anxious.
- Last but not least, Ship of Heroes is also not in the beta realm just yet. But it does have a swanky nightclub ready for when that beta happens.
So perhaps you can see why those of us who cover this stuff are happy when a game actually manages its beta phases well. Let us know down in the comments if the list below is missing important titles or still includes a nod to something that jumped test phases, if you could.
As always, we consider an MMO to be in open testing if it features free, public signups and will server wipe prior to launch. An MMO is marked in closed testing if it’s running a private test phase that cannot freely be accessed by the general public; it’s usually under NDA as well. Early access and crowdfunded MMOs whose tests we deem legitimate will be included. So-called “open beta” soft-launch MMOs with cash shops, no sign of launch in the west, or limited interest for our readers will not be listed; we also do not list expansions, with occasional exceptions.
AdventureQuest 3D: Open beta
Arcfall: Pre-alpha
Ashes of Creation: Alpha one phase one
Astellia: Closed beta, launch on September 27th
Bless Unleashed: Closed beta
Camelot Unchained: Closed beta one
Caravan Stories: Beta
Children of Ur: Open alpha, further development merged with Eleven
Chronicles of Elyria: Pre-alpha
Citadel: Forged with Fire: Early access, launch on October 11th
Crowfall: Backer pre-alpha
Cube World: Closed alpha
Dauntless: Open beta
Dark and Light: Early access
Divergence Online:Â Alpha
Dual Universe: Alpha
ECO: Early access
Edengrad: Early access
Eleven:Â Closed alpha
Ever, Jane: Open beta
Kurtzpel: Closed beta
Gloria Victis: Early access on Steam
Global Adventures: Closed beta
Guardians of Ember: Open beta
Life is Feudal: Early access
Line of Defense: Early access, removed from Steam
New World: Closed alpha
Occupy White Walls: Early access
Osiris: New Dawn: Open beta
Outlaws of the Old West: Early access
Pantheon: Backer pre-alpha
Pathfinder Online: Subscription “early enrollment”
PixARK: Early access
Project Genom: Closed alpha, servers offline for restructuring with SpatialOS
Project Gorgon: Early access beta
Prosperous Universe: Early access
SamuTale: Closed alpha
Ship of Heroes: Alpha
Star Citizen: Backer alpha
The Black Death: Early access alpha
The Cycle: Alpha, weekly test cycle
The Repopulation: Early access alpha
Torchlight Frontiers: Closed alpha, no NDA
Valiance Online: Alpha
WoW Classic: Closed beta, launch on August 27th
Yes, MMO gamers, you too can perform the unpaid quality-control work otherwise known as game testing! Check out Massively Overpowered’s Betawatch every week for a run-down of MMOs that are still on the road to launch, even if they appear to have set up a permanent residence in a shed called early access.
